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]]>Preterm delivery is defined as one between 22 and 37 weeks of pregnancy and is associated with adverse health effects.
Building on previous evidence concerning maternal diet and unborn children, researchers in Norway, Iceland and Sweden used data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study to analyze preterm births among 66,000 women between 2002 and 2008. Participants who successfully delivered one baby, were diabetes-free and completed a validated food frequency questionnaire on dietary habits from the first four to five months of pregnancy were included in the study.
Factors believed to affect results include mother’s age, education and history of preterm births. Researchers identified three distinct dietary patterns: “prudent,” “Western” and “traditional.” The “prudent” diet consisted of vegetables, fruits, oils, whole grain cereals, fiber-rich bread, poultry and water. “Western” included sweet and salty snacks, desserts, white bread and processed meat products, while “traditional” featured cooked vegetables, low fat milk, potatoes, fish and gravy.
Out of the 66,000 women, 3,505, or 5.3 percent, had preterm deliveries. The research team found the “prudent” diet linked to lowered risk of preterm delivery, particularly among women having their first baby. A reduced risk was linked to the “traditional” diet as well.
Researchers note pregnant women should increase their intake of “prudent” diet foods, saying this is more important than a total exclusion of processed food, fast food, snacks and junk food.(
(AFP Relaxnews)
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]]>The post Add Brussel sprouts to your pre-pregnancy diet appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Research has found that 9 percent of all conceptions take place over the holiday period, making December the most fertile month of the year. For couples wanting a baby, Neema Savvides, a nutritional therapist at the Harley Street Fertility Clinic in the UK, advised adding more Brussels sprouts to your plate, The Daily Mail reports.
“Believe it or not, this green micro-cabbage is a baby-making superfood,” she said, according to BabyWorld.co.uk. “Firstly, they are bursting with folic acid, which is essential for boosting fertility in both men and women. This vitamin-rich source also increases sperm levels and helps line the womb with the right nutrients raising sperm survival chances.”
“Another benefit of this folic-rich food is that it also helps to decrease the risk of miscarriages and birth defects.”
The vegetables are also packed with a phytonutrient called di-indolylmethane, which has been found to help women absorb balanced levels of the hormone estrogen.
Plus since it binds to environmental estrogens, such as pesticides and hormones found in meat and dairy products, it helps rid the body of excess hormones, boosting fertility.
(AFP Relaxnews)
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]]>The post 4 reasons to follow an organic pregnancy diet! appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>Even if a nutrient-rich, healthy diet is already a priority, choosing organic foods can make a world of difference. Organic products use organic farming methods – meaning that they do not use pesticides, chemical fertilizers or chemical food additives, and foods are not irradiated for sterilization. As a result, organic foods are seen as healthier; they lack potentially harmful substances and contain higher quality nutrients.
Pregnant women have much higher demands for vitamins and minerals than normal, so diet is key for mother and baby to remain in the best health possible. An improved immune system, better sleeping habits and increased vitamin E levels are some of the associated benefits, and organic fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of antioxidants and beneficial minerals such as iron and zinc.
Just because a food is labelled ‘organic’, doesn’t automatically mean it’s healthy. Biscuits and sugary treats can still be organic!
The choice to eat organic products however shows a certain level of mindfulness of a healthy lifestyle – and most who choose organic are aware that balanced meals; fruits, vegetables and proteins, will be best!
Bear in mind that pregnant women may still need to take additional supplements within their diet, and should consult their doctor to find out what’s needed.
In addition to the health benefits, many pregnant women choose organic foods to reduce risk. Most mothers-to-be will already avoid or limit particular foods that could have harmful effects, such as caffeine or fish that may contain mercury.
Organic is seen as a lower risk because regular food production uses methods that organic farming does not – methods which may cause food to have less essential nutrients and a multitude of chemical residues from chemical fertilizers, insecticides, and herbicides. Chemical hormones may also be found in non-organic produce – not ideal for a body already undergoing a hormonal upheaval. Increased levels of chemicals and carcinogens can generally have a number of associated risks such as cancer, and in pregnancy, could contribute to miscarriage.
This is not to say that all non-organic foods are toxic and should be avoided though, far from it. A healthy diet, organic or not, is always preferable to processed, sugary, unhealthy foods. But choosing organic may have additional benefit, and less risk.
In choosing to eat better food, many parents-to-be are creating good lifestyle habits to continue once their child is born.
An organic choice may also make an environmental difference. Many organic food markets source their produce locally, so in choosing local goods, carbon footprints can be reduced, seasonal living promoted and local farmers supported. Organic eating can build a better world for soon-to-be-born children.
Suzanne Gibbard is a mother to three and runs a business called Bundles of Joy which sells personalised christening gifts.
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]]>The post 8 pregnancy diet tips! appeared first on All4Baby.
]]>“Pregnant women might be eating for two, but this does not mean you need to eat twice as much as you normally would. Overeating might lead to excessive weight gain for you, it also puts you at risk for other pregnancy complications”, Dr Nicola Rains, a general practitioner at NHC Health Centres
According to Sue Scharf, dietician at NHC,“Eating healthy is even more important when you’re pregnant, because what you put in your body feeds both you and your baby. Your baby is dependent on you for getting enough nutrition. There are things you can do to get all the necessary nutrients without eating a lot more calories”.
“Remember that while pregnant, your baby’s health and growth are related to what you eat. When you are tempted to help yourself to another place of rice and chicken, remember that you are eating for a baby and not a full-size adult. It is all about quality over quantity” says Dr Rains.
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